Sound box for phonographs



' Dec, 26. 1922. 1,M,2%..

R. HEAD.

SOUND BOX FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

ORIGINAL FILED JAN. 28. I916- 2 SHEETSSHEET L.

6 rtoevieag Dec. 26, 1922,

I R. HEAD.

SOUND BOX FOR PHUNOGRAPHS.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ORIGINAL FILED JAN. 28. 1916- ark 4mm CORPO EALIQN OF CONNECTICUT.

all, YONKEES, NEW EZGRIJ, ASSIG-NOR T0 THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, A

SOUND BOX PHONOGRAPHS.

Original appfica-tim flied -y 2e, 1916,,Seria1 No. 7 ,281. Divided an Serial nary 8, 1826;

were i lonhnr Plr.i-in, a citizen residing at Yonkers, in 7 ester and Fitate of f sound )-')XE therefor the present application being a division ofmy prior application filed January 28,1916, @erial llo. "I l/Z81.

The primary object oi the invention is to provide an improved sound box and a novel mode of connecting it to the tone armwhercby greater volume oi. sound and an im proved quality of tone are obtained and also to provide novel and improved meanswherebv the volume of sound and the quality of the tone may be easily adjusted or modulated to suit the requirements of different records or the wishes of the one playing the instrument.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will l hereinafter more fully described, the fea- "wires of novelty being pointed out particu arly in the claims at the end of the speciln the accompanying drawings sure 1 is a vertical section taken through the up )er portion of a phonograph cabinet showin one embodiment of the improved sound box of the present invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 represents an enlarged detail of the sound box shown inFigure 1, the same bein partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, the diaphragm being partly d rear elevation of i (1 this application filed Jan- NO. 359,167.

the sound be shown in Figure 1,,the back of the sound box being broken away to show tlu. structure contained therein, and

Figure (3 is an enlarged detail view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, showing the mounting otf the tone arm.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

'ilhe sound boxes constructed in accordance with the present invention are applicable generally to phonographs or talking machines oil the various types and to records having either lateral or hill-and-dale sound grooves,

although the invention is particularly applicableto phonographs of the type which play flat or disk records. The preferred-embodiment oi"- the invention is herein shown and describechbut it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise construction shown, as equivalent construetions are contemplated and will be included within the scope of the claims. v

,In the present instance, 1 represents the cab net of the phonograph, 2 the lid thereof, 3 the motor, 4 the turn table which is revolvedby the motor, 5 a disk record which rests on the turn table and is revolved thereby, 6 theineclr otthehorn, 7 a sleeve supperiod on or connected with the neclr of the horn, 8 the tone arm, and 9 the sound box.

The vertical limb of the tone arm which is elbow shape is connected with the sleeve T by suitablemeans which enables the tone arm to swing horizontally across the face of the record and also to have a limited up-anddown motion.

ilhe sound. boX is formed with a neck 10 which extends out from the edge of the box. This neck preferably and as shown is in alinement with the horizontal diameter which intersects the geometric center of the soundbox or substantially so, and the axis of the-neck is preferably coincident with the median plane oi: the sound box, as will. be observed ifl'Olll a comparison ofl igures l and 2 with Figure 3, and this neck, which is tubular serves to deliver sound from the interior 01 the sound box to the tone arm. "The neck becomes a round tube where it connects with the round mouth of the tone arm and it preferably has a swiveledtelescopic fit upon the mouth of the tone arm which will'permit thesound boX to be twisted or rotated about the longitudinal axis of the neck and tone arm to bringit into playing position relaother suitable material, is contained in one of the recesses 16 and its periphery is held inside of the tone arm.

tively to the record and to move it'out of playing position and to facilitate changing of theneedle or stylus; Preferably and as shown, the neck has a reduced portion 1-1 which fits rotatably within the mouth of the tone arm and means is provided toprevent accidental detachmentof the sound box from the tone arm,-such means preferablyconr prising acurved strip of spring metal'12 which is "arranged circumferentially within the neck and is hired to the neck at one end,

and carries at its opposite end a pin 13, the pin projecting through the slot or opening in the neck and bearing'yieldingly against the The latter is -p rovided with two recesses or sockets i l into "which the pin 13is adaptedtoseat itself to prevent unintentional rotation'of the sound box relatively to thetone arm. One of these sockets,namely, that shown in Figure-2, re-

ceives the pin' and locks the'sound box in its vertical or playing position while another socket, not shown, may be provided to similarly lock the sound box in its out of play position with thestylus socket extending upwardly, the'sound box being moved into its "out ofp'lay position by twisting or rotating seated against one side of the annular rib 17 preferably by a rubber gasket 20 and a retaining ring 21, which is secured byscrews, or other suitable means, to the front face of the box. A sounding board-22 of wood;

or other suitable materialfor the purpose, is

" fitted into the other recess 16 and its periph cry is held in seated relation to the rear 'side of the annular rib 17, preferably by a gasket 23 and aback plate- 24:, the latter being secured to. the rear face of the sound box by screws or equivalent means.

nularrib 17 andthe diaphragm and sound- 111g board respectively, so as to -prevent di rect contact between these parts andthe body ofthe sound box. The-particular con struction and arrangement ol'the stylus bar shown is not claimed herein, it forming the subject-matter of my prior copending application, Serial No. 74,? 81. [It may be briefly described,'how'ever, aS comprising a bar25 inthe form of an'elbow lever ful- Other gaskets be provided if desired between the ancrumed to the body of the sound box so as to occupy a substantially vertical playing position relatively to the plane-of the record, as will appear from Figures 1 and 2; The

suspension by which the stylus bar is. ful-.

crumed to the sound box may comprise pivot screws 26 (see Figure 2) which are mounted 1 in lugs 27 onthe sound box, the screws being locked in adjusted "position by the nuts 28, thepoints of the screws bearing in suitable sockets in the ends of the trunnion piece 29 which forms a part of the stylus bar. The

upper end oi? the stylus bar comprises a suit able foot 30 (see Figure 4-) which may be secured in the usual manner to the center of the diaphragm, the needle or stylus 31 1s supported a proper inclination to the record in 'rearwardly mchned stylus socket 332 which hasa set screw 33, the socket being connected by a rearwardly curved arm to a horizontal limb or the stylus bar, as will be understood from a comparison of Figures 2 and l. it may be statedthat a stylus bar of the construction just described is preierably used, as it iscapable of playing records havingeither the hill-and-dale or the lateral soundgrooves without requiring change in the position of the sound box.

The sound box oi? the present invention produces a greater volume of sound and also an improved quality of tone. These advantages are obtainednot only by virtue of.

the sounding board 22 but also because the v sounding board is located closely adjacent and opposite to'the entire surface of the diaphragm. In this respect the sound box of the present invention-differs substantially from sound boxes, as heretofore constructed, in which the sound tube or neck connects withthe box at the middlejportion of the diaphragm and hence the advantage of compression or concentration ofthe sound waves at this place which is the 'most important part of the "diaphragm, because there, its oscillation is greatest waslost. According to the present invention,' however, the disadvantage just described as existing in sound boxes as heretofore constructedfisv avoided the sound being conducted from the 3 interior compression chamber of the box through the slot 18 which is formed in the edge vo'l' periphery of the box so that the sounding board is opposite to the central, as well as the peripheral, portionsv of the diaphragm. The sounding board also mellows and enriches the tones. lt'ispreferable to construct the sounding board of such vibratable quality that it' will be relatively rigid or non-absorptiveto the range oi desir-able tones but shall be vibrated the blast tones so that these tones will be 'ab sorbed in part and mellowedQand-trans formed for the remainder, thus resulting in an increase in volume of the desirable tones;

Another feature-of the present invention igieceea consists in providing means for varying or adjusting the extent of th active area of one of the vibratory elements of he sound box, the adjusting means being shown applied in the present instance to the sounding board. Preferably and shown, such Jar cans comprises piece of spring wire 36 which may be covered with rubber fabric, felt or the like 37. This covered wire located in the rear circular recess of the sound box, one of its ends 86 being Secured to the sound box at the periphery of the recess, and the other end of the wire being provided with a head 38 which is connected to a rotatably adjustable 39 so that the head may slide along the slot 40 in said arm. The arm 39 rigidly connected to a pin which projects through a hole in the back plate 24 of the box from a knurled head 41 at the rear of the sound box. This head preferably carries a pointer 42 which is movable over an index which comprises a circular series of holes marked l to XII formed in the back plate of the sound box, said pointer having a projection 43 which is adapted to one or another of these holes to retain the wire member 36-37 in a given position of adjustment and at the same time to indicate that adjustment.

When the pointer 42 is at I on the index, the coiled wire member 36-37 will, due to its springy nature, be fully expanded against the periphery of the circular recess. This adjustment renders the maximum area of the sounding-board active, but by adjusting the pointer 4-2 toward the hole designated fill, this active sounding board area is gradually diminished by the inward movement of the wire member 36-37 toward the center of the sounding board, due to the contraction or winding up of the wire member on itself, the contact of the wire member with the sounding board dampening the latter, except substantially for the middle portion thereof, which portion is enclosed by the wire member. In order to insure contact with suflici-ent pressure between the wire 36-37 and the sounding board, the wire member is preferably made to fit tightly in the space between the sound board and the back plate 24 of tile sound box so that this back plate will keep the wire at every point forced tightly or firmly against the sound board. The character of the record will determine the particular justment which should be given the soundboard.

The connection between the vertical limb of the tone arm and the sleeve 7 consists preferably of a pair of trunnion pins 414 which project from the tone arm and engage freely in an internal annular groove 46 formed in the sleeve 7. A. screw 4t"? limits the lateral swing of the tone arm by contacting with one of these trunnion pins. A

downwardly extending lug on the re cal limb of the tone arm contacts with the inside of the sleeve when the sound box is supported by the record. the sound box tone arm being then supported to pre vent dropping thereof.

1 claim as invention l. A. sound box for phonographs having an open front and a wall closing its rear, a diaphragm in the front of the sound box sounding board located between and spaced a short distance from the diaphragnrand also the rear wall of the sound box means for delivering sound from the between the diapl'iragm and the sounding board.

2. A sound box for phonographs having a wall closing its rear side, a diaphragm in the front of the sound box and having a stylus cooperative therewith, a sounding board co-extensive in area with and spaced a short distance rom the diaphragm, said sounding board being located opposite to and spaced from said rear wall, and means for delivering sound from an edge of the space between the diaphragm and the sounding board.

3. In a sound box containing a vibratory diaphragm and a vibratory sounding board arranged opposite thereto, means for damping varying areas of one of said vibratory parts.

4:. A sound box containing a vibratory diaphragm and a vibratory sounding board located opposite thereto, the space between said vibratory parts having a sound outlet at its peripheral edge, and means for damping progressively varying areas of one orsaid vibratory parts.

5. In combination with the diaphragm of a sound box, a sounding board spaced a short distance therefrom, means for deliving the tones from the space between said diaphragm and sounding board, and means for varying the size of the active area of the sounding board.

6. In combination with the diaphragm of a sound box, a sounding board spaced a short distance therefrom, means for delivering the tones from an edge of the space at one side of the sounding board, and means cooperative with the opposite side of the sounding board for varying the condition of the latter. I

7. In combination with a sound box having a vibratory part and means for varying the active area of said vibratory part comprising a covered spring-wire adapted to be wound up and unwound in surface-contact with said part to enclose varying extents of its area.

8. In combination with a sound box having a vibratory part and means for varying the vibratory effects of said vibratory part comprising an elongated member adapted to be wound up and unwound in surface contact with such part to enclose varying extents of its area.

9. In combination with a sound box having a Vibratory part and means for varying the active area of said vibratory part comprising an elongated member adapted to be wound up and unwound in surface contact with such part to enclose varying; extents of its area, the outer end of said member being fixed and its inner end being connected to a rotatabi} adjustable arin adjacent the middle portion of the said vibratory part.

10. In combination with a sound box, a

vibratory part and means for varying it com risin' an elon ated member ada' ted to be wound up and unwound in surface reac es contact with the part to enclose varying extents of its area the outer end of said member being fixed and its inner end being connected to a rotatabi y adjustable arni adjacent the middle portion o1 the part to slide along said arm towards the axis on which it rotates when the elongated member is wound-up and away from said-axis when said member is unwound.

11. A sound box for "phonographs C0111- prising a diaphragm and cooperating stylus, a vibratory sounding board associated with the diaphragm, and means for damping progressively Varying areas oi the sounding board.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand I ROBERT HEAD. 

